1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multiple sorter in which a plurality of sorter units are provided in series at a paper discharge outlet of an image forming apparatus and in which a bypass carrying path is provided between each pair of the sorter units adjacent to each other in the serial direction of the units so that the bypass carrying path is directed to one of the pair of sorter units at the downstream side in the serial direction of the units.
2. Description of the Related Art
A multiple sorter has been proposed which comprises: a plurality of sorter units disposed in series at a paper discharge outlet of an image forming apparatus, each of the sorter units including a sorter casing provided with a paper lead-in path, a plurality of vertically arranged stages of sort bins provided in the sorter casing, a paper distributing means also provided in the sorter casing for distributing paper to the sort bins, and a first path change-over mechanism for changing over the connection of the paper lead-in path to either a paper feeding path to the paper distributing means or a paper discharging path to a non-sort bin; a plurality of bypass carrying paths each provided across the paper discharging path of each one of the sorter units and the paper lead-in path of another of the sorter units which is adjacent to the sorter unit in the serially connecting direction of the sorter units, the non-sort bin being provided on an upper portion of the bypass carrying path of each one of the sorter units so that the non-sort bin serves for another one of the sorter units provided at the upstream side of the one sorter unit; and a plurality of second path change-over mechanisms each for switching the connection between the paper discharging path to the non-sort bin and the bypass carrying path.
Each conventional bypass carrying path in the multiple sorter is constituted by upper and lower carrying elements each constituted by carrier rollers provided at predetermined intervals in the carrying direction and a guide plate. A non-sort bin is provided on an upper portion of the upper carrying element.
In such a configuration, in order to clear jams between the upper and lower carrying elements or other maintenance, an upper casing portion for bypass carrying the non-sort bin and the upper carrying element can be raised. However, since the upper casing portion is large and heavy, it is considerably difficult to perform the opening operation. In order to facilitate the opening operation, for example, a balance spring may need to be provided, increasing cost. Further, the upper and lower carrying elements constituting the bypass carrying path include expensive carrier rollers and guide plates.